BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China stands ready to work with Argentina to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

China attaches great importance to bilateral ties, Xi said in a recent exchange of letters with Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, urging concerted efforts to sustain and deepen the development of the China-Argentina comprehensive strategic partnership.

Xi noted that since Fernandez took office, they have talked over phone and had multiple exchanges of letters, and have reached important consensuses on deepening bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation in areas such as battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic is a severe test for the whole world, Xi said, adding that in the face of the disease, the two nations have stood together and helped each other, and their traditional friendship has been further elevated in the joint battle.

China, he said, stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Argentina in research, development and application of COVID-19 vaccines, and will continue to provide as much support and assistance as its capacity allows for Argentina's fight against the pandemic.

For his part, Fernandez spoke highly of the development of bilateral relations and China's achievements in containing the pandemic, and thanked China for supporting Argentina's fight against COVID-19.

Facing the impact of COVID-19, countries should show solidarity, as well as mutual respect and support, and commit themselves to building a community with a shared future for mankind, a notion put forward by Xi, he said.

The Argentine president noted that China has accomplished its poverty alleviation target as scheduled and scored remarkable achievements in science and technology, bringing benefits for the Chinese people and the world at large.

He also said that both Argentina and China uphold multilateralism, support inter-state dialogues, and strengthen regional dialogues, so as to achieve harmonious development.

The Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to deepening connectivity and mutual understanding between the two countries, Fernandez said, adding that his country stands ready to strengthen cooperation with China in areas including vaccines, and to jointly push for greater development of their comprehensive strategic partnership.